Synopsis The LOUIS JOLLIET was on a promotional round-trip excursion in the Port of Quebec to inaugurate her summer tour program. The on-board party was made up of a group of invited guests from the local media and hotel industry and passengers from a college student body. An invited guest jumped overboard into the harbour and tried to swim for the shore when the vessel was near Pointe Puiseaux. The master initiated man overboard emergency procedures and the victim, suffering from mild hypothermia and exhaustion, was quickly rescued by a Search and Rescue (SAR) craft. Factual Information Propulsion Four GM671 diesel, 746kW The LOUIS JOLLIET is certificated to accommodate 1,000 passengers during daily excursions in ClassII minor waters. The vessel is boarded on the main deck A, which includes an auditorium. Deck B has a closed-in bar and casino space midships with open lounges on the forecastle deck and the afterdeck. Deck C comprises a wheel-house forward with bridge wings running to the side of the vessel, and an open observation deck aft. At approximately 1700(1) , invited guests and passengers began boarding and, at 2000, the LOUIS JOLLIET departed. Four invited guests from the same hotel sat at a table near the port railing on the forecastle B deck. After consuming several drinks, one of the invited guests boasted that he could swim back to shore and, at approximately 2030, he sat momentarily on the railing. He was seen from the bridge and the ship's whistle was sounded to warn him of the danger. A deck-hand present on the port bridge wing was ordered to advise the guest to sit down and not lean on the railing. At approximately 2045, the passenger returned to the railing, leaned backwards and deliberately jumped overboard. The helm was turned hard-to-port and the engine was stopped. The master threw a lifebuoy with light overboard from the port wing of the bridge. When he returned to the wheel-house, he sounded three blasts on the ship's whistle to mobilize a five-crew-member emergency team and he made an urgency call by radiotelephone. The chief officer supervised the emergency team who prepared the port lifeboat. At 2050, the LOUIS JOLLIET contacted the Qubec Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) which advised the Qubec Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC). At 2053, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) cutter STERNE departed Section No.98 for Pointe Puiseaux. The passenger vessel ST.ANDRE, which was also carrying out an excursion in the harbour, radiotelephoned the LOUIS JOLLIET to confirm that she would lower a lifeboat and stand-by to assist. The victim was observed to stop swimming for the shore and to float approximately 40 to 50m from the lifebuoy. At 2100, the STERNE arrived on the scene and recovered, from the water, the victim who was suffering from mild hypothermia and exhaustion. Some confusion was caused by deadwood adrift in the vicinity which made the rescue party believe other persons had fallen overboard. At 2110, the CCG cutter arrived at her base. At 2115, the victim was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.